Light in the Darkness
by Nicole Elisabeth Harding
Summary: Emma Swan has been stuck in an abusive relationship for years and she can't seem to get out of it. One night she decides to remove herself and her son, Henry, out of the situation and meets the owner of a B&B where they take refuge for the night. From the moment she meets Killian Jones, she finally has someone looking out for her. But it isn't quite a happy ending yet.
1. Chapter 1

My hands were shaking as I hurriedly buckled Henry into his car seat. I kept glancing over my shoulder back at the house. Blood dripped off of my forehead onto Henry's shirt and I jerked away, frantically wiping at the wound with my sleeve.

"Mommy, I'm tired. It's bed time. Where are we going?" he yawned.

"We're just going on a little trip, sweetie," I whispered. "You can sleep in the car."

"Is Daddy coming?"

"Not this time."

I shut the door and ran around to the driver's seat. My heart was still pounding even after I'd started the car and made it down the street. I didn't know where I was going, just that I had to get out of there. Tears stung at my eyes as I drove and drove until I was too tired to keep going. And that's when I saw the sign for a bed and breakfast. Without thinking, I just turned up the driveway and parked in front of the house. Henry was still awake but fading fast. I unstrapped him from his car seat and carried him in with me.

It was late at night so I was relieved to see that someone was at the desk in the entryway.

"I realize it's late and kind of last minute notice, but I really need a room," I stammered breathlessly.

"Of course," the man said.

He opened a book on the desk and passed me a pen. I shifted Henry to my other arm and shakily signed my name. It occurred to me belatedly that I should've signed a fake name in case Neal came looking for us.

"You're bleeding, are you all right?" the man asked with a frown.

I flinched and nodded, snatching the key from his outstretched hand and making a break for the stairs.

"Wait, let me show you to your room!"

"I'm fine!" I snapped.

I clutched Henry tighter as I ran up the stairs and headed for the door marked "5". I used the key on the door, ducked inside, and shut the door tightly behind me. I laid Henry on the queen-sized bed and stepped back, taking a deep breath. There was a soft knock on the door and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Who is it?" I asked, pressing my ear to the door.

"My name is Killian Jones. The man from the front desk."

I opened the door a crack and looked at him.

"What?"

"That cut on your head looks pretty serious, so I brought you a first aid kit."

"I don't need any help," I said firmly.

"Please, I used to be a nurse. I can stitch you up."

I looked at him with wide eyes trying to think through my options. He was probably right about my head. Head wounds could be serious, especially because it was still bleeding. I opened the door another inch.

"All right, but try to be quiet. My son is sleeping," I said, nodding towards the bed.

I opened the door wide enough for him to step through and then stood there looking at him warily.

"Why don't you sit down?" he said, gesturing to a chair.

I perched on the edge of the seat and clenched my hands anxiously.

"Relax," Killian said. "I'm not going to murder you."

"Give me one reason why I should trust you," I said.

"Well I am helping you patch up your head," he shrugged. "Are you going to tell me what happened to you?"

"I… fell."

He looked at me skeptically. Then he opened up the box and got to work. It took him maybe fifteen minutes to stitch it up and pack up all his supplies again.

"Well have a good night's rest," he said, moving towards the door. "I guess I might see you tomorrow."

I didn't respond, instead shutting the door behind him. I laid down next to Henry on the bed and fell asleep shortly with him curled up in my arms.

"Mommy, Mommy!" Henry woke me up by bouncing on the bed. "Daddy's here!"

I bolted upright and gazed in horror at the open door.

"I let him in!" Henry declared joyfully. "Now our whole family can go on vacation."

"That's right, Henry," Neal said with a smirk. "Except we can't go on a vacation quite yet. We're going home."

I was frozen with fear as Neal crossed the room and loomed over me. He grabbed my arm roughly and jerked me off the bed.

"Come on, Emma," he said. "You've had enough freedom for a lifetime."

I tripped a little as he jerked me out of the room. Henry came running after. I paused briefly to scoop him up before Neal pulled me along again. Killian was lounging at the front desk reading the newspaper when we descended the stairs.

"Have a great day!" Neal said with forced cheerfulness as he dragged me out the front door.

I cast a helpless look over my shoulder and tried not to panic too much as I was pushed roughly into the car and Henry was snatched from my arms. Neal settled him in the backseat and then we were on our way, roaring down the street. All I could do was gaze out the window and try to tune out Neal's scolding.

Henry was still tired from his late night before so as soon as we got home, he crawled into bed and fell fast asleep. I was grateful that he wasn't conscious for what followed. It wasn't anything that a kid should have to witness. Our living room was in shambles and Neal's voice was hoarse from yelling by the time he was finished. I lay stunned on the floor as he stumbled upstairs for his mid-morning nap. Blood was seeping from several cuts and staining the carpet, but I couldn't find the strength to move.


	2. Chapter 2

One of the neighbors must have overheard the ruckus from our house because the police showed up at our door having received a report of domestic violence. I dragged myself off the floor while Neal answered the door and assumed his usual charming mask.

"Is everything all right, sir?" one of the officers asked. "We had a report about some shouting and loud bangs."

"Everything's fine, officer," Neal smiled. "My girlfriend just tripped and fell into a bunch of chairs."

"Do you mind if we come in and see for ourselves?"

"Actually, now is not a good time. My son is down for his nap and he shouldn't be woken up," Neal lied.

"I'm right here, Daddy," Henry said brightly, coming to the top of the stairs. "Don't worry about me."

Neal cursed under his breath and then forced a smile as he opened the door wider. I attempted to look as normal as possible as the two police officers entered the house and looked around.

"This looks like more than a couple of chairs," one of the officers commented.

"My girlfriend is very clumsy," Neal said smoothly.

"That's not true, Daddy," Henry chirped.

I tried to silence him as he trotted into the room. Neal was shooting death glares at him.

"Mommy only falls when you push her and hit her."

"Shh, baby," I said, trying to cover his mouth.

"He's five," Neal explained. "He has quite the active imagination."

"Well his explanation makes a lot more sense than yours," the officer said. "Sir, I'm going to need you to come to the station with us."

"This is all a misunderstanding," Neal complained. "I would never hurt Emma."

"Ma'am, has your boyfriend been abusive?"

I jumped as the officer addressed me. I glanced at Neal to see him frowning and shaking his head.

"Umm, no, he… hasn't," I stammered.

"Well if you haven't done anything wrong, sir, then you shouldn't mind clearing all of this up at the station," the officer said.

It was clear that he hadn't believed me. Neal would punish me for that later. I watched, shaking, as Neal was escorted out to the squad car and shoved into the backseat. Henry clung to my leg as we watched from the front porch. As soon as they were out of sight, I started throwing clothes in a suitcase for myself and Henry.

The doorbell rang, scaring me to death. I peeked out of the window before answering the door.

"I –" Killian started to say. "Are you all right?"

"Why does everyone always ask that?" I said. "I'm fine. What are you doing here?"

"You left your purse in the room when you left in such a hurry," Killian said, holding it out. "I looked at your driver's license and found your address."

"You should've just called," I said, glancing down the street to make sure Neal wasn't coming back. "But thank you."

I took the purse from him and moved to shut the door but Henry ran out and gazed up at Killian with awe.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Killian," the man said, crouching down to Henry's level and offering his hand. "Who are you, young sir?"

"I'm Henry," he said proudly.

"Baby, go back inside and wait for me in your room," I said, ushering him back inside.

"I'm sorry if it's not my place, but you seemed to be kind of in a hurry this morning when you left," Killian said. "Would that have anything to do with your boyfriend who showed up?"

"It was time for Henry and me to come home," I replied firmly. "Neal was just making sure we got home safely."

"That's not what it looked like to me," Killian replied just as firmly. "My brother abused his wife for years until they started going to counseling. I know what it looks like, even when they're in public and trying to hide their compulsive anger."

"I'm sorry, but just because your brother was that way doesn't mean you're an expert on the subject," I said, moving to shut the door.

"Emma, wait!" he said, keeping the door open with his foot.

"How do you know my name?" I asked.

"Driver's license, remember?"

"Listen, I appreciate that you went to the effort to bring my purse to me, but my son and I really have to be getting out of here and frankly, my life is none of your business," I snapped a little harshly.

I wasn't really angry at Killian specifically. I was just terrified that Neal was going to come back at any moment and Henry and I needed to be gone when that happened. And I didn't believe that anyone could help me except myself.

"How are you going to get anywhere?" Killian asked. "Your car is still in the B&B parking lot. Your boyfriend took you home in his car."

Cold washed over me as I realized he was right. I didn't have the keys to Neal's car. And even if I did, he had a GPS tracker installed in his car so he would be able to track us down. Thoughts were whizzing through my head at a million miles an hour and I was just about ready to collapse in a puddle and give up.

"I can give you a ride to your car if you want?" Killian offered tentatively.

What other options did I have? I really didn't trust this guy, but I definitely trusted him more than Neal. Not all men were like Neal, right?

"Thank you," I said with pursed lips.

I ran upstairs and finished throwing clothes into a suitcase and then scooped up the bag and my son and ran back down the stairs. Killian took the suitcase from me and tossed it in the back of his car. Since I didn't have Henry's car seat, I just sat him in my lap and strapped us both in with a seatbelt and prayed that we didn't get in a car accident.

I was tense for the entire trip to the Bed and Breakfast. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot, I was out of the car and loading Henry into my own car. Killian transferred the suitcase from one car to the other and then shut the trunk.

"Look, I know we barely know each other but I'm worried about you driving at this time of night," Killian said. "Why don't you spend the night here and then leave in the morning?"

"And risk Neal finding us again?" I snapped. "No thanks."

"I'll stand guard outside your room all night. He won't get to you," Killian promised.

"You think I would trust a perfect stranger?" I asked in disbelief. "I'm not that naïve."

"Have I given you any reason not to trust me?" he asked.

I looked at him for another second or two.

"Mommy, I'm tired. Can we sleep now?" Henry yawned.

I sighed and my shoulders slumped. I was tired of being on guard all of the time. Would one night really hurt? Who knew how long the police were going to detain Neal. His father had quite the influence in this town. He was probably back home by now.

"Okay," I said quietly.

I got Henry back out of the car and followed Killian into the Bed and Breakfast. Killian grabbed a key from the front desk as we passed. This time, the room was on the first floor. He opened the door and handed me the key as I walked past, Henry in tow.

"I'll be right out here if you need anything," Killian said. "Don't forget to lock the door."

I always locked the door. Always.

I settled Henry into bed, slipping off his shoes and singing him a song softly as he yawned and closed his eyes. Unable to sleep myself, I paced the room and even spent several minutes staring out the window into the night. It was just so hard to relax knowing that Neal was out there, probably furious over our disappearance and seeking us out with vengeance.

Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore and unlocked the door, slipping out into the hallway. Killian was sitting with his back to the wall. He looked up at me questioningly as I emerged. I think my tense face was enough of an answer for him because he didn't ask any questions.

I settled onto the floor next to him and stretched out my legs in front of me.

"How long have you owned this place?" I asked.

"I inherited it from my father five years ago," Killian replied. "I enjoy running it, though we don't get much of a crowd here. Father's trust is enough to keep it running though."

"Your brother didn't inherit?"

"At the time, he was a drunkard and a wife beater. My father wrote him out of the will."

"My boyfriend's dad doesn't care what he gets up to. In fact, I think he might encourage Neal's need for dominance over women. I was so stupid to ever even go on a date with Neal."

"His type are generally very good about hiding their true nature until you've already been trapped in their web," Killian said. "At least that's what I saw with my brother and his wife."

"He always finds me," I whispered. "No matter where I run. And the last thing I want him to do is hurt Henry. I always try to keep him out of the way when Neal is on one of his rants."

"Have you tried leaving the country?" he asked. "I have some friends who have a small rehabilitation resort in England. I'm sure you could stay with them for however long you needed to get back on your feet again."

"He would still find me."

"There are ways that we can erase any trace of your departure," Killian said. "My father worked for the government and taught me a lot of ways to avoid being followed."

"Our passports are back at the house," I said with a yawn.

I was starting to get tired. Maybe the talking had helped me calm down a bit.

"We'll see how you feel about it tomorrow and then we can find a way to retrieve your passports if you decide to take that road," Killian said.

I nodded and felt myself drifting off. My head sank onto his shoulder and before I could jerk away, my eyes were closed and I was asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

I woke with a start and sat immediately upright. Somehow during the course of the night I had ended up with my head in Killian's lap.

"I'm sorry," I said quickly. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"It's quite all right," Killian replied, stretching.

"Is Henry still in the room?" I asked.

He nodded and I jumped to my feet. Henry was slowly starting to wake up when I approached the bed. I brushed his hair away from his forehead and enjoyed for a moment how peaceful his face looked. Killian approached me from behind and cleared his throat softly.

"Have you decided what you're going to do?" he asked.

I closed my eyes for a long moment and sighed.

"As much as I hate to do it, there's no way to avoid it," I said slowly. "I have to go back to the house."

"But what if Neal's there?"

"I'm hoping that they held him overnight at the station," I said with more confidence than I actually felt. "I'm leaving Henry here with you just in case he is home."

"No. You are definitely not going back if Neal might be there, and especially not alone."

"I need you to watch Henry. I'll be fine, but if Henry gets hurt then I'll never forgive myself."

"Let me go for you," Killian said.

"You wouldn't know where to find everything," I retorted. "And this is not your fight."

"Don't you have any friends or family that could help?"

"Henry is all I have in the world," I said tensely.

"Call the station and ask if Neal is still there," he suggested.

I had to admit, that was a valid suggestion. I pulled my phone from my purse and dialed the number quickly. Luckily, the officer who answered the phone was one who had been there when Neal had been brought in last night.

"We released him last night after taking a statement," the officer said. "But we had a pair of officers follow him and he headed straight for a bar. If I had to take a guess, I would say he's passed out in the street somewhere."

"Thank you for your help," I said.

I said good-bye and hung up. Killian had overheard enough of the conversation to understand what was going on.

"I still don't feel good about this," he said.

"How about this?" I started. "I will call you as soon as I arrive and then as soon as I leave. If too much time passes than you can come swooping to the rescue."

He continued to gaze at me evenly.

"I need those passports to have any chance of getting away from Neal," I pleaded.

"Fine," Killian sighed. "While you're gone, I'll call David and Mary Margaret and let them know that you're coming. And if you don't call within a half hour, I'll assume something's wrong."

"I'll call," I promised.

He took my phone and entered in his number. I handed him a slip of paper with my number on it.

I shouldered my purse and walked out the door. My heart was already pounding by the time I reached my car. If Neal had been drinking last night than he was either passed out somewhere like the officer had said, or he was awake and spitting mad. Being drunk tended to make him a raging lunatic. More so than usual anyway.

My hands were shaking as I pulled out of the driveway and started towards the house. I was praying the entire way that Neal was either not there or too incapacitated to hurt me. There was a little bit of ice out on the roads, accompanying the fresh snow that had fallen overnight. I drove carefully. A car accident was the last thing I needed right now.

Neal's car was still in the driveway when I pulled in. I clutched my keys tightly in one hand as I approached the house. I opened the door slowly, listening for any noise. It was dead silent.

I crept through the entryway, peeking into the living room for any sign of Neal. Seeing no one, I lightly ran up the stairs and headed straight for the safe in the master bedroom. I realized as I was rooting through the papers that I had forgot to call Killian when I arrived. I started hurrying so I could make it out and call him before he started panicking and called the police or something drastic.

I found Henry and I's social security cards and passports and shoved them in my pocket. I whirled around to head out and froze. Neal was standing in the doorway to the room with a gun in his hand.

"Neal, where have you been?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

"What are you doing?" he asked, eying the open safe and papers strewn across the floor.

"Oh, nothing," I lied. "Just making sure we had everything there."

"Planning a trip?"

"What? No."

Neal chuckled.

"You didn't actually think that you could go anywhere did you?" he asked. "Where's Henry?"

"Safe from you," I said softly.

"What lies have you been telling people? Those officers seemed set on my being abusive. Someone had to have said something," Neal said.

He took a few steps forward and I automatically tensed.

"When will you learn?" he asked. "You need to stop telling your lies and stop turning my son against me."

"You do that all on your own," I snapped.

And that's when he exploded. He lunged for me. I grabbed the nearby desk chair with both hands and swung it down on his head. He fell to the floor, dazed. I ran for the door. I was on the top step of the stairs when the gun went off. Then I was tumbling down to the bottom and lying in an ever-widening pool of my own blood. My entire body was numb and my eyes closed against my will.


	4. Chapter 4

_2 years later…_

"We're leaving in two minutes. With or without you."

My voice rang throughout the mostly empty house as I waited at the bottom of the staircase for Henry.

"Coming!" he promised.

I settled a baseball cap on my head and pulled on a jacket.

"Don't forget your coat! It's cold outside."

He came running down the stairs thirty seconds later, struggling to fit his arms through the sleeves of a jacket as he descended. I grabbed his little hand and we walked out the front door together. Mary Margaret and David were waiting in the car. I settled Henry in his seat before climbing in and buckling my seatbelt.

"Where are we going, Mommy?" Henry asked for the fifth time in the last hour.

"I told you, sweetie. We're going to a party with Mary Margaret and David's friends."

"Is Daddy going to be there?" he asked innocently.

I wasn't surprised at his question. He frequently asked about Neal. His dad had tried to be loving towards him and Henry missed him terribly. He was too young to understand what had happened.

"No, Dad is working far away from here," I said slowly. "But he loves you and wishes he could be here."

No doubt he did. He always enjoyed being dominant. I wondered if he had found someone to replace me. Luckily, I hadn't heard from him since Killian Jones had helped Henry and I flee the country with his friends.

"Okay," was all Henry said as he turned to stare avidly out the car window.

I glanced at Mary Margaret, who was watching me intently.

"_I'm fine."_ I mouthed to her.

She smiled sadly. I was grateful for the sanctuary she and her husband had offered me. And for the fact that we had become really close friends. I was finally starting to heal from the emotional trauma and feel like I could sleep at night without one eye open.

"Killian called this morning to see how you were doing," David commented. "I told him our plans for the day and he was glad you seem to be settled."

"Did he say anything about Neal?" I asked.

"Emma, I didn't ask," David sighed. "If there was any danger, Killian would tell us. Otherwise, you don't need to worry. And I think if Neal was going to make some dramatic move to get you back, he would've done it by now."

Sufficiently chastened, I nodded and fell silent.

Mary Margaret shot a look at David and then glanced back at me.

"Neither of us can imagine what you've been through, Emma. We just don't want you to worry unnecessarily."

I nodded in reply to her statement.

"I'm sorry, Emma," David said. "I'll ask next time he calls."

"Are we almost there?" Henry asked, interrupting our adult conversation.

"Almost," Mary Margaret replied with a smile.

It took another ten minutes for us to reach our destination. As I was helping Henry out of the car, David's phone dinged and he glanced at it. Almost immediately, he reached for Mary Margaret's arm and started whispering in her ear. It was hard to miss the way they kept looking at me. I knew something was wrong.

I put a protective arm around Henry and held him tightly even though he complained and squirmed.

"Is it him?"


	5. Chapter 5

Henry was sleeping peacefully in my lap with his head on my shoulder as we waited for our airplane. He wasn't used to all the activity that had happened in the last few hours. I couldn't blame him, I was pretty tired too.

"_I bought you two tickets for the next flight out of here," Mary Margaret had said. "I don't know how he found you, but you're not going to wait around to find out. As soon as the coast is clear, you can come back. Or you can make a new start somewhere else. But we'll always be here if you need a home."_

_I cried as I hugged her. She had to push me away to start towards security. She didn't want me to miss my flight. But I wasn't ready to go. Henry was crying as he clung to David. He didn't understand what was going on. I'm not even sure I understood what was going on. Neal had found us…_

I was determined to hold out until we'd made it to our hotel. Mary Margaret had arranged for us to go to some friends in Hawaii. The first night we would be in a hotel and then we would drive in a rental car around one of the islands to her friend's house.

I smoothed Henry's hair and kissed his forehead softly.

"It's going to be okay," I whispered.

I knew he couldn't hear me, but for some reason I felt comforted by the words. Maybe they were more for me, than for him.

As they started boarding our flight, I lifted Henry awkwardly in my arms while holding onto my purse, the strap of his backpack, and our boarding passes. The flight attendant scanning passes gave me a sympathetic smile as she took ours and then waved us through.

I set Henry in a window seat for when he woke up and then buckled both of us in as we settled in for the long flight.

Henry dozed on and off throughout the flight and was still drowsy when we landed, so I braced him on my hip as I hurried off the plane and down to collect our luggage. What I didn't expect was the familiar face that was waiting for us.

"Killian?"

I'm not sure I even said it loud enough for him to hear but he smiled the dorkiest smile and rushed forward to greet me.

"Here, let me take the lad," he said, taking Henry from my arms. "Let's get your suitcases and then I'll take you to the hotel."

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I figured you wouldn't mind a little security for a while," he replied kindly. "And Ruby and Victor are friends of mine as well as Mary Margaret and David. They said I was more than welcome to come too."

I pulled our two big suitcases off the carousel and started wheeling towards the exit. Killian led the way into the elevator and pressed the button for the parking garage. I glanced sideways at him. I'll admit I was a little nervous. Not that I wasn't glad to have him here. I just hadn't seen him in a few years and I was completely indebted to him for what he did for me and Henry. I wasn't sure what to say or do around him.

Killian reached over with his free hand and touched my shoulder gently.

"It's going to be okay," he said encouragingly.

I smiled briefly and tried to make myself relax. I didn't even know him that well. But I felt like he was one of the few people I trusted.

"It's about a 45 minute drive to the hotel," Killian said as he deposited Henry in the back seat of his car. "Feel free to take a nap if you're tired. That was a long flight."

He took the suitcases from me and put them in the trunk. I just stood there like a dumb person, watching him.

"Emma?"

He touched my shoulder again.

"Emma, you should get in the car. You're tired and stressed."

I nodded slowly and allowed him to lead me around to the passenger door. He practically had to buckle my seatbelt for me after I fumbled with it for a few seconds. I glanced back at Henry to check on him. He had dozed off again and was snoring lightly. I couldn't help but smile at how peaceful he looked.

Killian drove fast as he exited the airport and started towards the hotel.

"I miss Mary Margaret and David," I said after a few minutes of silence.

"They're good people," Killian replied. "I miss them too."

"Maybe I can go back there one day."

"You can."

I nodded and turned to look out at the scenery. Killian squeezed my hand comfortingly and then turned his focus back to driving.

"You're a good man," I said sleepily.

"Emma, you should sleep," he said quietly. "You don't know what you're saying."

My eyes were starting to drift closed. I glanced over at his profile. He was looking straight ahead at the road, his nose and chin clearly defined. And thankfully, the thoughts on my mind were not fearful ones of Neal, but curious ones about Killian.


	6. Chapter 6

"Emma? My name's Ruby. And this is my boyfriend, Victor," the young woman said as she came down the front walk towards us.

"It's good to see you again, Ruby," Killian said, pulling her into a side hug.

"All of you, come inside," she offered with a smile. "We have beds set up for all of you. Emma, I put a smaller bed for Henry in your room because I thought you would want him close."

"Thank you," I said softly.

Victor held the door for us as we filed inside. I was carrying Henry and Killian was carrying the suitcases. Ruby ushered us down a hallway and into a small but comfortable bedroom.

"Emma, this is yours. Killian, I've got you in your usual room across the hall."

I nodded and set Henry on the bed. Killian set down the suitcases and gazed at us for a second before leaving the room. Ruby stayed and looked directly into my eyes.

"Mary Margaret and Killian have told me a little bit about your situation," she said. "And I just wanted to say, I am truly sorry for everything that has happened to you. I'm not pushing or anything, but if you ever need to talk or a shoulder to cry on, I'm here. Or you can use my phone to call Mary Margaret."

I smiled wanly at her slight attempt at humor and thanked her. She was really sweet for saying that, even though she had just met me.

"You're probably tired, so you're welcome to take a nap. We'll be having lunch around one if you feel like joining us," Ruby said. "If you don't feel up to it, I can bring a plate up to you."

"I may take you up on that," I smiled.

"And if you need a break from the little guy," she added, "Victor and I could use the practice with children."

She smiled as she turned and left the room, closing the door behind her. I immediately laid down on the bed and curled up beside Henry. But despite my exhaustion, I couldn't relax enough to actually get some sleep. I was terrified that Neal had figured out where we had gone.

I mean, he'd done it once before. Why not this time?

He could've tapped Mary Margaret's phone when she was arranging things with Ruby, or looked at her credit card statements for the plane tickets. Or he could've followed Killian. Or he could've put tracking devices on Henry and I. Ideas kept rushing through my head and I felt like I couldn't breathe.

I crossed to the window and opened it a little bit, gulping in the fresh air and trying to calm down. I tried to let my sensible side take over.

Neal wasn't that resourceful and he wasn't going to risk prison by doing clearly illegal things like that. Right?

Yes.

Neal had already left town by the time Killian came to meet us. Right?

Yes.

I did this for a few minutes and then sat down by Henry, looking down at his peaceful features. I was thankful that he didn't realize exactly how afraid I was or that we might be in danger.

"Mommy? I'm hungry…"


	7. Chapter 7

I pulled my hair into a ponytail and left the room, closing the door quietly so I didn't wake Henry. He had been playing too many games with Ruby and Victor and was completely worn out. Apparently even kids can only play hide and seek for so many hours before running out of energy.

"Emma, come join me," Ruby said from the couch.

She was reading a magazine and snacking on pretzels. She offered me the bag as I sat beside her.

"I'm about to go shopping if you want to come," Ruby said. "You look like you could use some relaxation time. Victor and Killian can watch Henry when he wakes up from his nap."

"Okay," I said hesitantly.

"Come on," she scoffed. "It'll be fun. No danger at all."

"Okay," I said a little less hesitantly.

"Go grab some shoes and your wallet," she commanded. "We're leaving in five minutes."

I immediately got up and ran back upstairs. Henry didn't wake up while I was throwing things out of my suitcase looking for a semi-decent pair of sandals to wear. I was tired of the tennis shoes and felt frumpy compared to Ruby and her beautiful outfits. Then I briefly acknowledged that I had become distracted from Neal. I made a mental note to thank Ruby later.

Ruby drove rather crazily. She had the top down on her convertible and music blasting as she sung along at the top of her lungs the whole way. She kept trying to get me to sing to but the most I managed was a little bit of lip-syncing. She smiled and laughed, completely carefree with her long hair blowing back in the wind. For a few moments, I just stared at her with a small feeling of jealousy and longing. Then I forced myself to look away and put a smile on my face.

When we arrived at the mall, she knew exactly where she was headed. She practically danced around the store, tossing blouses and pants in my direction. It wasn't until we reached the dressing room that I realized she had been picking them out for me.

Embarrassed, I shook my head.

"I don't have any money," I explained. "I can't use my cards and I don't have any cash."

"Oh honey," she said. "I'm paying. Don't worry about it. Just go dress up."

It took a lot of convincing for her to get me to go in and start trying things on. I was actually impressed at the colors and styles she had picked out for me. They were very flattering. Ruby obviously knew what she was doing.

And for the next few hours, I was able to forget about my ex-boyfriend and everything that had happened to me.

Ruby wanted to buy them all, but I talked her down to just a few outfits and two pairs of shoes. We walked to the other end of the mall where the food court was and split a warm pretzel. She got a coffee and I decided to drink some Dr. Pepper.

"So did you have a career before you had Henry?" Ruby asked.

I noticed how she avoided bringing up Neal.

"I was a secretary," I said. "I actually really enjoyed the work; typing up things and answering phone calls and organizing schedules."

"Nice," she smiled. "I'm a therapist. Your job sounds much more fun though."

"Not even!" I exclaimed. "Imagine all of the interesting people you get to meet and interact with and help."

"You only say that because you don't have to do it everyday," Ruby said drily.

We both laughed and then fell silent as we sipped our drinks.

"How did you and Victor meet?" I asked.

"Killian introduced us," she said with a laugh. "That guy is the best matchmaker. And the problem is that he knows it… That man is too cocky for his own good."

I laughed.

"I think I can see that," I said. "Of course, he also has a gentle side."

"Of course," Ruby said. "Killian's a good friend to a lot of people. He takes care of us."

Her phone started ringing and she pulled it out.

"Sorry, it's Victor. I'm going to answer really fast."

She walked a few steps away and answered the phone. I watched as her face lit up when she said hello. And then I watched her expression change to something between fear and disbelief.

"Emma, we have to go," Ruby said, grabbing my arm.

"What happened?" I asked.

I swear the entire world stopped moving as I waited for her answer. There was no way I could've prepared for what she said next.

"Neal took Henry. He walked right up to the front door and Henry answered. Henry went with his dad."


	8. Chapter 8

Killian couldn't look me in the eyes when we got back to the house. I knew he felt like he had let me down, but in my mind, all the blame was on Neal.

"What are we going to do?" Ruby asked. "Can we call the police?"

"We can," Killian said. "But be prepared for things to turn ugly. Neal can claim anything about Emma. And I've heard that he's a very convincing devil, especially when it comes to the police."

"We can't let him keep Henry," I said quietly. "I know he loves him, but who knows how long that will last before he gets drunk or upset and takes it out on him."

"I know," Killian said, touching my arm gently. "I promise you, we're going to do everything possible to get him back."

Despite my best efforts to remain calm and collected, my eyes started welling up with tears. Ruby put her arm around me in an attempt to comfort me.

"Let's just call the police," Victor said finally. "We have a few people who can vouch for Emma's character and Neal's lack thereof."

He immediately pulled out his phone and dialed the number.

"Emma, do you have a picture of Henry that they can use?" Killian asked. "They're going to need a description of Henry and Neal."

I nodded and pulled out the small photo from my wallet and handed it over. I let my gaze linger on it long after it had left my hands.

"I just need a minute," I said, standing up.

I escaped to my room and fell onto my bed.

"Please, please don't hurt him," I whispered. "Please."

I sat there staring at the wall until Ruby came to get me because the police had arrived. They basically set up command central in Ruby's kitchen. I would have to apologize to her later for the horrible inconvenience that all of this was. She had no idea what she was getting into when she agreed to let us stay with her.

Killian kept hovering near my side, almost as if he didn't want to leave me alone but was afraid to talk to me. He probably thought I would never forgive him for letting my son get taken by Neal.

The police officer asked me a lot of questions about Neal and I's past and how Henry fit into everything. By the end of the hour of questioning, I was exhausted and drained and so worried about my son. The only practical way off the island was by plane and they had men stationed at all of the airports to catch them, but what if we were too late and they had already left. My mind was coming up with all sorts of irrational fears about what was happening and I couldn't stand it anymore.

At some point through it all, I passed out asleep on the couch. I was vaguely aware when Killian scooped me up and carried me into my room. He gently pulled the blanket over me and lightly kissed my forehead before leaving the room. The door closed behind him.

I woke to find Ruby shaking me.

"Emma, come on! We've got to go now."

I jumped to my feet and stared anxiously at her.

"Henry?" I asked.

"It's not good, but they found him," she said.

She pulled my hand and dragged me from the room. I don't remember much of what happened after that. Just running. And driving as fast as she could safely go. We made it to the airport and found Neal backed into a corner. The sight of him holding Henry, with a gun to the little boy's head, made my heart stop.

"Neal! No!" I yelled.

Somehow I managed to make it past all of the officer's holding guns pointed at them. Neal just stared at me as I approached.

"It's good to see you again, Emma," he said.

"Neal, let Henry go," I said. "If you let him go, I'll come with you."

Neal smiled. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"You know I would do anything for Henry," I replied.

I was amazed at how calm I sounded. My heart was pounding. I glanced at Henry. He was terrified. I moved closer to Neal and reached out for Henry. Neal tensed and moved away.

"Neal, please."

He reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me closer. Henry twisted free and ran away. I watched as he ran straight to where Killian was standing. Killian immediately picked up the boy and held on tight. Neal started pulling me away. The gun was pointed at me now.

"Nobody moves or I shoot her," Neal announced.

I couldn't even explain what happened next. Something inside me snapped and I was done being a victim. I twisted from Neal's grasp and turned around, swinging my fist directly into his jaw. He staggered from the force and his fingers slipped from his gun. I snatched it from the floor and pointed it at him as I moved away. He lunged after me, grabbing my legs and knocking me down. I didn't even think, I just pulled the trigger.

Two bullets in the chest and he let go. I scrambled away as he lay motionless on the floor. The police streamed forward, taking over. Why the heck hadn't they made a move before? Why was it me who always had to solve my own problems?

I dropped the gun as if it were burning me. I turned and found Henry running towards me. I opened my arms and squeezed him tightly. We were finally safe.


End file.
